Birmingham, AL plays sponsor to the Compass Bowl on January seventh with the Panthers competing with the Southern Methodist University Mustangs. The Panthers come in just after the one-year Todd Graham experiment at head coach. After taking the head coaching job at Arizona State, Graham resigned his post on December 14th. Defensive Coordinator Keith Patterson will put on the headset for the Panthers in this clash of titans. SMU comes into play with the threat of the “Death Penalty” passed on in the 1980′s still being referred to today. Former Nfl and Hawaii coach June Jones is already in his fourth year on the sidelines of Southern Methodist University. The wagering line has this set at Pittsburgh (-3) with the over-under of 47 points.

Super Bowl odds

Pittsburgh comes into play with a 6-6 record as well as a 4-3 record in the Big East. Winning vs #16 South Florida 44-17 on September 29th, they’ve had one match vs a ranked challenger. Pittsburgh’s defense gives up 22.4 ppg, whereas their offense puts up 25.8 ppg. Junior Quarterback Tino Sunseri comes into the game with 2,433 passing yards plus a passer rating of 124.8. Junior RB Ray Graham has totalled 958 rushing yards and 9 Touchdowns to date this year. Sophomore Wide receiver Devin Street is Sunseri’s favorite target catching 48 receptions with 2 Touchdowns. Junior Wide receiver Mike Shanahan is an amazing second target with 35 receptions and 4 Touchdowns.

Super Bowl betting

SMU comes in the match with a 7-5 record plus a 5-3 record in Conference USA. They’ve gone 1-2 vs ranked opponents this year, winning over #20 TCU and losing to #8 Texas A&M and #11 Houston. The SMU Mustangs offer up 24.5 ppg on defense whereas their offense averages 25.7 ppg. Counting on the run-and-shoot offense to put up substantial numbers in offense, June Jones has traditional had pass-heavy teams previously. This SMU Mustangs team this year has a 1,000 yard rusher, a rarity in the Jones’ method. Senior Quarterback J.J. McDermott with 3,182 passing yards and 16 TDs steadies the passing game. Junior RB Zach Line has had an amazing year with 1,224 rushing yards and 17 Touchdowns. Junior Wide receiver Darius Johnson with 72 catches and 998 receiving yards and senior Wide receiver Cole Beasley with 79 catches and 954 receiving yards steady the SMU Mustangs receivers.